Faces and Places

Imagine setting out on a trip to visit family, and six months later having visited all four corners of the United States.
That’s what happened to Sally Southerland of Lancaster and her husband, Jimmie, who completed the journey of over 22,000 miles in 2010. They set out on a trip to visit Jim’s father in Key West, Fla. Riding together on a single motorcycle that Jim had rebuilt, they soon were on a grand adventure.

Whether you are rich or poor, we all share one task – a trip to the garbage dump, also known as a county convenience site in today’s politically correct terms.
I have my very own, personal facility, which I frequently share with my neighbors and a few out of staters who prefer the dump to the shoulders of a county road.
I didn’t always have my site. At first, it was just a tract of land covered in weeds. Then it was developed into a nice brick grammar school. You know, one of those “neighborhood schools.”

Granny Summers’ small New Cut house was built on a foundation of love that glowed every Christmas.

A widow since before my birth, she didn’t have much, but she had Jesus, and to her, that was all that mattered. She passed on that sort of love – one that gives and not takes – to her children and 16 grandchildren. It molded us and continues to shape our lives.

One of my favorite Christmas memories is of my father and the last Christmas with him.

Every Christmas my brothers, sisters and I were allowed to choose one thing we wanted for Christmas. I wanted a Cinderella watch more than anything.

When Christmas Eve came we went to bed at 5 p.m. because we were told Santa would not come until we were asleep. I could not sleep because all I could think about was the beautiful Cinderella watch I was going to get. My older sister had to read to us to help us to go to sleep.

One of my favorite memories of Christmas was December 2002. Each year, when my family gets together on Christmas Eve, we have a small memorial service for our family members who have passed away. We read a special poem, say their names aloud and light candles for each member. It is very emotional and special.

“I’m just committed to living my life moment by moment according to the principles in God’s word.”
That simple but profound sentence, spoken by Lee Anne Genix at a Sunday school class in 1999, drew Ben Barry to his future wife. Freshly divorced, Ben was not looking for love that day but still felt drawn to her.

It’s time for me to face facts, I’m the very definition of a television fanatic.
It’s been that way since I was a child, growing up during the 1980s and 90s, watching all sorts of TV shows and made-for-TV movies with my parents.